Is social capital valuble anymore?

Social capital or the ability to link people to each other within different groups or populations is an invaluable skill and tool. With the advent of social networking sites like facebook and myspace are these links degrading in value or are these online connections just valued differently than the traditional links?

People on these sites have hundred if not thousands of "friends". But the question is, if confronted with these individuals in the real world would you do anything but just say hello? On these sites you can add anybody, regardless of whether you've met them or not. But in the right hands could this be used beneficially, and I'm not talking about identity thief's and corporations looking to market to you. No what I'm hinting at is the business opportunity with staying in touch with people from your past. If someone has a company or works for a company that could use your services would it be out of line to send them a note?

Perhaps its all in tact and how you approach the situation. Instead of saying "Hi I haven't heard from you in a while. But while I was creeping your facebook I noticed that you worked for (insert business name here) and could use my services." Try "wow I haven't heard from you in a while what's new? What's your story?... Its been a crazy few years I'm doing (insert story here and what you're doing). Perhaps we could hang out or whatever?"

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A low Carbon Diet

This months (March 09) issue of National Geographic has several articles on sustainability and environmental issues of today. The one article the peaked my interest the most was the article entitled Saving Energy:It Starts At Home. It outlined a challenge that three neighbors underwent to attempt to reduce their carbon consumption to 80% below the national average or a diet of 30 tons a month.

They did so in a variety of manners, having an energy survey done for their house to determine where they are wasting it, having leaks in their foundation or through their ceiling, so they are paying to heat or cool the outdoors. The did things like hang their clothes to dry, bike to work, and walk to the pool in the summer. The low lying fruit of energy consciousness enabled the three families to substantially reduce their carbon diet.

If that simple effect can be done locally, and with initiatives like CBC's 1 million acts of green this movement can be enough to substantially change industry and perhaps make a difference to the future.

Your resident Tree Hugger,
Badger (Kirsten)

The National Geographic Article

1 Million Acts of Green

Can computers really be "green"?

With power draw alone and our addiction to technology that stronger every day can computers really be environmentally friendly. For years people touted the fact that we were going to be a "paperless" society, but the legal system requires hard copies of everything to prove due diligence. There are the materials used to produce computers, many of which are toxic in the environment.

This last fact is what many computer manufacturers are looking at to "green" up the computer industry. Companies like Mac are using recycled plastics and metals for their housing, using lower energy computer chips, so fans are no longer necessary. But these eco alternatives are inaccessible to the average Joe. Mac books typically cost up to twice as much as a PC alternative, many of the other computers are being sold solely to businesses. While affluent people and businesses have the free capital to invest in this movement, for the average individual, this is still far out of reach.

Dating for the Eco-consious/broke

With the passing of Valentines day I thought it might be interesting to explore what options exist for those students and eco-conscious among us. A quick search of the internet lead me to several blogs where they ponder whether sustainability dating is being cheap and buying frozen pizza instead of delivery, optimizing efficiency such as speed dating or just prevent traumatizing your date. Now the last option is rather interesting, as into the future emotional scarring from a date gone awry will sink money into therapy and the "Spring Break" phenomena.

Others suggest solutions like an organic picnic, or a walk in the park with a bottle of local wine (brown bagged of course). Its funny but these eco dates often would be dubbed the most romantic. Perhaps because with the absence of money your time has to be spent figuring out how to make it memorable, with hand picked flowers and home made gourmet food.

So just because you're broke doesn't mean that your dates will suffer from boring monotony of a rent a movie night, no the outside world is your oyster, go grab a bicycle built for two and explore.

More Eco-Dating Options:
Dating for the Eco-Conscious
http://sustainablog.org/2008/05/30/dating-for-the-eco-conscious-part-one/
REALITY: Sustaining Your Dating Life
http://www.granvilleonline.ca/node/4304
Green Snowball
http://www.greensnowball.com/2008/08/sustainable-dating.html

Mental Sustainability

Is it just me or does it seem that the focus is on behavior and how we have to live our lives and not on how we can sustain our lives. So much of what is deemed `sustainable`is merely an environmental change or a new method of designing a building and not on our mental health and stress level. Personally I believe that the two go hand in hand. As our jobs demand more and more of our time, our stress level increases, our mental sustainability decreases, and our pollution increases. This past weekend the BSc Environmental Science class took a much needed break, to go and appreciate all the beauty that Mt Baker has to offer. This time releived much stress and allowed a homeostasis to exist again in the classroom.

The balance has been restored between our personal life and our school life. Without breaks such as these the long hours at school lead to long hours in the car, and lead to much more unsustainable lifestyles.

Urbanization of Communities

Today more than ever people are growing up in an environment surrounded by concrete, and their days are regulated by artificial light. Is it merely coincidental that the green spaces are diminishing and that we are dealing with world wide environmental issues. I have friends that are afraid to sleep overnight in the woods. Is this a result of the urban lifestyle? I tend to think that people are afraid of the unknown, and as more and more people grow up away from nature they become afraid of it. This may be the core issue in getting people to take action against climate change. The apathy that is instilled in individuals that never see a forest sheerly by their upbringing.

Its very strange for me as I have always been in the forest camping, hiking and playing. But then again I'm also very passionate about the environment.

A Sustainable Superbowl?

Tonight is Superbowl Sunday. The single most watched event on television. North Americans tune-in in droves, having huge parties and barbeque's to watch the game or the commercials with their friends. While I'm tuning in from the comfort of my room I wonder, is this North American tradition sustainable? Are the viewers using environmentally conscious foods and beverages. What about how they got to their friends house, did they car pool or was it a single occupancy vehicle? And how does this compare with other holidays and to the average evening?

All are interesting to consider when watching this awesome game. All I have to say is 100 yard play.